easyJet gets bums on seats

4th Aug 2011 08:40

Low cost airline, easyJet, said its passenger numbers for July continued to grow, with total numbers rising 8% on the year before.In a statement the company said 5,427,112 people flew in July, up from 5,021,838 a year before.It said it had filled 91.7% of available seats, up slightly from 90.9% the previous year.In the full 12 months to the end of July easyJet said total passenger numbers were up 12% to 53,761,627.It filled 87.2% of seats over the year, up slightly from 86.8% in July 2010.The airline's shares rose 2% in early trading in London.easyJet's management is currently in another battle with its founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou over plans to expand the airline's fleet. Sir Stelios - who is chairman of easyGroup Holdings - accuses easyJet directors of an 'incestuous' relationship with manufacturer Airbus. It follows an announcement by the airline in January that it had struck an agreement with Airbus to exercise options over 15 Airbus A320 aircraft for delivery between 2012 and 2014 and to secure new options over a further 33 A320 aircraft. easyJet's management has rejected all of his allegations of wrongdoing.